Fuse-clip clamp



Nov. 23 1926.

E. A. BACON FUSE CLIP CLAMP Filed Ndv. 10, 1924 Patented Nov. 23, 1926.

PATENT OFFICE.

EARNEST A. BACON, OF STILLWATER, MINNESOTA.

FUSE-CLIP CLAMP.

Application filed November 10, 1924. Serial No. 748,883.

My invention relates to clamps which are particularly adapted to be attached to fuse clips so as to hold the free ends of the arms of the clip tightly over the end of the fuse engaging in the clip so that no arcing or heating of the fuse will take place.

The invention includes means for holding the operating members of the clamp in a manner so as to insulate the operating end of the clamp sufficiently so that the operators fingers will not come in contact with the electrical connections or with the metallic parts of the clamp itself. To accomplish this I provide a flange formed of insulating material which projects sufliciently to cover the operating members and form a shoulder against which the ends of the fingers of the operator rest when the operating cap or head is engaged and thus insure the easy attaching or disengagement of the clamp from the fuse clips.

It is also a feature of the invention to provide an operating member wherein the engaging end is formed integral with the operating cam, which is also formed of insulating material, and is provided with a slightly bevelled edge to the cam so as to provide a construction wherein the engagement of the cam with the operating arms of the clamp is held in close proximity to the operating arms by the lugs which engage the bevelled surface of the cam.

A further object of the invention is to provide spacing lugs which are formed to engage with the ends of the clamping fin gers so that the clamp may be attached either to a wide opening or a narrow opening, such as is true of a knife switch where y the sides of the clip engaging the blade of the knife switch, are positioned quite closely together. These lugs are not used on the ordinary fuse clip where a fuse with a cylindrical end and body is used.

Other features and advantages, together with the peculiar construction of my invention will be more clearly set forth in the following specification and claims.

In the drawings forming part of the specification,

Figure 1 is an end view of my fuse clip clamp in operative position.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the same.

Figure 3 is a bottom view of the clamp.

Figure 4 is an end view ofthe clamp using the spacing lugs to attach the clamp to a knife switch, a portion of which is illustrated in cross section.

Figure 5. is a perspective view of one of the spacing lugs adaptable to the fingers of the clamp to adjust the same for different widths of engagement.

The invention includes the clamp A which is adapted to engage the arms 12 and 13 of the fuse clip B, of ordinary construction, which is used to hold the metallic end of the cylindrical shaped fuse C.

The clamp A is adapted to engage the free ends of the arms 12 and 13 in a manner to firmly grip the same and cause the arms to bear tightly against the surface of the fuse C so that the fuse will not jar loose in operation.

Heretofore a great deal of trouble has been experienced in using fuses where no clamp such as I have illustrated is used, be cause the spring arms 12 and 13 are not of sufficient strength to grip the surface of the fuse C tightly and further for the reason that if'the arms 12 and 13 become slightly bent so that the fuse is loosely held therein, arcing occurs and the arms 12 and 13 become heated sufficiently to draw the spring temper of the same and thus the fuse is destroyed or the clip itself is burned so bad- 1y that it must be replaced.

My clamp C is provided with fuse clip engaging fingers 14 and 15 which have inturned ends 16 and 17 respectively, adapted to engage the free ends of the clip arms 12 and 13 as illustrated in the drawings.

The fingers or members 14 and 15 overlap each other at 18 and are slidably connected together by the pin 19 which extends through the same and which extends into and is secured to the operating cap or head 20 at 21. The pin 19 thus holds the operating cap 20 pivotally secured to the members 14 and 15 and by means of the slot 22 formed in the member 14, together with the depending flanges 23 formed on the member 14, the members 14 and 15 are held slidably secured together.

The cap operating member. 20 is formed of porcelain or other suitable insulating material and is provided with a horizontally disposed flange 24 which extends over the members 14 and 15 in a manner toprotect in a manner so that the tively,

attached as illustrated in Figure 4. In this the fingers of the operator when engaging the projecting lug 25 on the cap 20, thus preventing the operators fingers from coming in contact with the metallic parts 14 and 15 of the clamp A or the contacts of the fuse clip B. This is an important feature of the invention as it provides an insulating member which is adapted to operate the clamp A operator is fully protected against any short circuiting, by reason of contacting with other electrical connections in attaching or removing the clamp A, thus insuring protection to the operators fingers and without any danger of them slipping off while operatlng the clamp A.

The operating cap 20 is formed with an integral cam member 26 which is provided with a beveled surface 27 which is engaged by the lugs 28 and 29 formed on the member 14 in a manner to project into engagement with the cam and to hold the cam operable and freely rotatable between the lugs 28 and 29 in the operation of the clamp A stop lug 30 is formed on the operating cap on one side of the cam 26 which is adapted to engage with the lugs 28 and 29 to limit the rotative movement of the same; The lug 30 projects from beneath the flange '20.'

In operation the clamp A -is attached with its fingers or arms 14 and 15 engaging with the free ends of the arms 12 and 13 of the clip B and the operating cap 20 is rotated by engagement with the lug 25 to cause the cam 26 to operate the members 14 and 15 together or apart, so as to attach or disengage the clamp from the fuse holding clip B. The ends of the fingers of the operator engage the lug 25, resting against the flange 24 and protected from coming in contact with the metallic and electrical contacts of the fuse clip or clamp. The cam 26 moves over the center of the pivotal connection of the pin 19 with the members 14 and 15 so as to lock the same in closed position to hold the clamp firmly engaged with the clip B, thus looking it to hold the fuse rigidly in place.

In Figure 4 I have illustrated used in conjunction with thespacing blocks or adjusting lugs 32 which are formed with recesses 33 adapted to engage with the ends 16 and 17 of the arms 14 and 15, respecso that the clamp A can be adjusted to engage a narrow switch clip such as D, which forms a part of the ordinary knife switch and wherein the blade 33 of the switch is firmly locked when the clamp A is the clamp use the clamp A is of the self-same design and construction, excepting that the adjusting members 32 are used on the ends 16 and 17 to permit the clamp to engage a narrower surface and to firmly clam the blade 33 in the clip D. Obviously, iiferent sized In practice my clamp has proven to operate very satisfactorily and is adapted to lock the fuse or the blades of the switch or electrical contacts tightly together when used in a manner as I have illustrated. The adjustment of my clamp to various sized electrical connections is important andthe insulated operating head formed of a single unit construction of insulating material, having the camformed integrally therewith, is also a feature of importance and provides a practical clamping and locking means for electrical connections to insure perfect contact.

In accordance with the patent statutes I have described my invention, illustrating the best embodiment thereof, but I desire to have it understood that this is only illustrative and that the invention can be carried out by other means and applied to uses other than those above set forth within the scope of the following claims:

I claim:

1. A fuse clip clamp including a pair of members slidably secured together, a finger piece opera-tingmember and a cam formed integral therewith adapted to operate to draw said members together or spread them apart, said finger piece member and cam being formed of insulating material.

2. A fuse clip clamp including a pair of members, an operating member formed of porcelain insulating material, means for pivotally securing said operating member and said pair of members together with said members slidable in relation to each other, and cam means formed integral with said operating member adapted to operate to draw or spread said members apart.

3. A fuse clip clamp including a pair of clip engaging members, said members slidably together, an 0perating member formed of insulating material, and a cam formed on said operating member adapted to operate said pair of members to draw the same together or spread them apart in the operation of said fuse clip.

4. A fuse clip clamp including a pair of 4 members adapted to engage the free ends of the fuse cli an operatingmember formed of insulating material having a flange extending about the same to protect the tingers from the metallic parts of said fuse clam a cam formed on said operating member adapted to operate said members and means for pivotally securing said operating members with said engaging members whereby the cam can operate the engaging members slidably in relation to each other.

5. A fuse clip clamp including a pair of reciprocating arms having clip engaging ends formed thereon, an operatin cap formed of insulating material inclu ing a finger protecting flange formed thereon, and means for pivotally and slidably connecting said operating, member and pair of clamping members together.

6. An electrical clamp for contacts including a pair of engaging members, an operating member, means for pivotally connecting said operating member and clamping member together, said engaging members having a slidable connection and a cam interposed between said engagin members and said operating member ormedintegrally therewith and provided with a stop lug to limit the rotative movement of said operating member.

7. An electrical clamp annular shoulder flange interposed between said cam and operating lug in .a manner to form a finger tip insulating protectingmeans to prevent the operator from coming in contact with the electrical connections in the operation of said clamp.

v EARNESTAA. BACON.

for connectors comprislng a pair of arms having engaging. 

